Improvement in turn-tables for railways and bridges



2Sh5eets--Sheet14 RQW SMITH. Turntables for Railways and Bridges.

`N0.]55,550, Pa-tented Sep-t.29,1874.

WITNESSES INVENTOR .gf l By Attorneys n lssmvmc cn. Faur-umass. man PLcsmfrf '2 Sheets--S-ueelt2. .3. w. SMITH.' -Turntables for Railwaysand' Bridges. N01 55.,550` Patented sept.29,1314.

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f wAnNssEs Y mvEN-ro PATENT -VOFFIcn ROBERT W. SMITH, OF TOLEDO, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN TURN-TABLES FOR RAILWAVS AND BRIDGES.

Specification forming part of Letters PatentNo. 155,550, dated September 29, 1874; application filed lJune 6,1874

To all 'whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT W. SMITH, of

the city of Toledo, inthe county'of Lucas and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Turn-Tables for Street- Railways and Bridges, of which the following is a specification: j This invention relates to means for changing the course of cars on street-railways, and for opening and closing thev draws of swingbridges. The object of the first part of the invention is to construct a turn-table with the machinery or Working parts nearer the surface of the ground than' has heretofore been practicable, so as to obviate the difficulty 'ever incident to other small turn-tables of dirt or rubbish getting into the machinery or working parts. The object of the second part ofthe invention is to arrest the turn-table in an elastic manner, so as to avoid shocks caused bythe sudden stoppage of the turn-table. The object of the third part of the invention is to provide for releasing the turn-table with facility, and at the same time to adapt it to be locked in position automatically. The object of the fourth part of the invention is to provide strong and simple means for rotating the turntable from the-top thereof. l

The working parts are attached to the under side of the turn-table or projections thereof, and are simple and compact. The turntable is arrested by an elastic buffer, with which rollers attached to pivoted arms engage automatically, and hand links Vor lifters attached to these arms provide for readily releasing the turn-table. The turn-table is rotated by means of a hand-crank or its equivalent applied to a vertical shaft which extends upward through the turn-table. The lower end of this shaft carriesa spur-wheel and a sprocket-wheel fixedly attached thereto, and these coact with pairs of smaller wheels ofthe same character, to embrace a stationary chain and to travel along the'same. This chain is stretched horizontallyrfrom the said propellin g-wheels around radial sprocket-arms which project from the stationary base of the turntable or its wall-plates.

Figure l is a plan view of a turn-table illustrating this invention`,a portion of the table proper or door being broken away to expose parts beneath. Fig. 2 is a vertical elevation 'of the same. Fig.3 is an elevation of the chainpropelling gear on a larger scale. Fig. 4 is a vhorizontal section on the line 4 4, Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a perspective View of a portion ofthe base,

representing a supporting-roller and one of the Fig. 6 is a plan view of the' isprocket-arms. Abul'er. Fig. 7 is a vertical section on the line 7 7, Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a vertical section on the line 8 8, Figs. 6 and 7. J

' A stationary base, A, of proper shape and construction, is arranged in an excavation in the road-bed of a street-railway, or on a suitable pier'in a bridge, to support a turn-table, `B, of the construction hereinafter described. A pivot, z, projects downward from the center of the turn-table, and rests in a step, y, on the base-frame. In the illustration the turn-table has a circular central portion or table proper, and is extended in length by a door or platform, O, The working parts are attached to the under side of this door, and consist, first, of a pair of pivoted latches, D, and, secondly, of chain-propelling gear E. A xed buifer, F, at a given point, provides for holding the turntable in position. This butler consists of a wooden base, w, a cast-iron box, to, bolted to the top of this base, a pair of rubber springs or cushions, fv, within the box, and a follower, u, supported between the cushions. The re` taining-notch t is formed in the follower a. The cushions tare arranged at the ends of the follower, which are in the line of the movement l of the turn-table, and they thus serve to receive the thrust of the latches D, and to cushion the same, so as to prevent any considerable v shock or strain resulting therefrom. The ends of the follower have horizontal anges at top, and the box w has flanges, which project over the former to secure the follower from displacement. A plate,s, bolted to one face of the box, provides for introducing and removing the follower and cushions. The latches D consist essentially of pivoted arms r, with` rollers q at proper of the turn-table is composed of horizontal courses of planking o o2 o3, each course crosslng the grain of the others, with a circular metallic track-har or annular rim-plate The propelling-gear consists of a vertical rotary shaft, j, a pair of stud-shafts, z' il, a spurwheel, h, and a sprocket-Wheel, j', fxedly attached to the shaft j, a pair of lspur-wheels or piuions, g g2, and sprocket-wheels e e2, mounted loosely on the stud-shafts t' 2, and a keeper, el, between the supplemental spur and sprocket wheels. The shaft j is mounted loosely in a plate, d, attached to the bottom of the turn table, and the studshaftst' i2 project from this plate, and the keeper el is attached thereto. The upper end of the rotary shaft j receives a hand crank or lever, c, by the rotation of which the turn-table is propelled the required distance, the operator standing on the turn-table. The chain is stationary, except as it is lifted from the sprocket-arms successively by the propelling-gear in its movement. The chain may be of any approved construction, andthe sprocket-wheels and sprocket-arms will in all cases be conformed thereto. In the illustration the chain is composed of weldless links having loops at right angles to each other. The sprocket-wheels are correspondingly construct'- ed with circumferential grooves to receive the main members of the links, and with indentations or sockets to receive the laterally-projecting portions, by which the necessary traction is obtained. The sprocket-arms operate to guide the chain and to prevent itfrom slipping, and are constructed with large daring-mouth notches, with narrow grooves at bottom, corresponding with the circumferential grooves in the sprocket-wheels. The spur-wheels and sprocket wheels, although separately described, are preferably formed together, the pair on each shaft consisting of a singlecasting. The keeper cl-operates to prevent any displacement of the links of the chain between the supplemental sprocket-Wheels.

The turn-table represented in the drawing is adapted to receive a complete rotation. When this is not necessary a chain may be employed with ends attached to the wallplates or sprocketarms. The mechanism may be otherwise modified in mechanical detail.

Inworking this turn-table it is first released by pulling the proper hand link or lifter p, which disengages the roller q of the retaininglatch D from the buffer F. The hand crank or lever e is then rotated. The sprocket-wheels f e cztravel along the chain G, which is held by the sprocket-arms k. The propelling-gear lifts the chain fromvthe sprocket-arms successively as it passes them. When the turntable reaches its second position the latch D, which then reaches the buffer F, engages automatically with vthe latter, and the turn-table is secured.

The following is claimed as new:

1. `The rotary table B (l, having the catches D and propelling-gear E attached to its under side, and operated-through the floor or platform,"substantially as herein described.

.2. The buffer F, having the rubber cushions c and notched follower u t, substantially as described, for the purpose set forth.

3. The latches D, consisting of the pivotarms r, rollers g, and' hand links or lifters p, in combination with' the buifer F, as and for the purpose specified.

4. The stationary chain G, in combination with the propelling-gear E, attached to the turn-table, and sprocket-arms la, applied to the Wall-plates or base, substantially as herein described, as means for rotating the turn-table, in the manner set forth.

5. The combination of the spur-wheels h q g2, sprocket-wheels f e e2, andkeeper el, substanti-ally as herein described, for the purpose specied. y l

In testimony of which invention I hereunto set my hand this c7 th day of April, 1874.

, R. W. SMITH.

Witnesses:

I. A. HAMILTON, DANiEL HOWELL. 

